A NEW REPORT by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) reveals that robberies, extortion and hijacking up 34%.. The report also reveals a 13% increase in kidnappings and a 7% increase in cases involving weapons and explosives.

There has also been a 52% increases in sexual offences according to the report. However, gardaí said that this is “mainly due to an on-going review of all cases involving alleged sexual offences reported to An Garda Síochána. Some of these offences will have occurred at some distance in the past but are represented based on the date of reclassification.”

Murder is down by 32%, however murder-threat is up by 67%.

Harassment offences and assault also fell over the year. There has also been a decrease of 22.8% in driving under the influence of alcohol.

Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said he’s concerned with the rise in robbery.

Fine Gael’s justice spokesperson Charlie Flanaghan says it’s a worrying trend. “Ireland is clearly a far more dangerous place than it was 30 years ago. Our streets are not safe. Repeated pledges by the government to craic down on crime are ringing hollow.”